Summary

The race was expected to be between [Norman Ross], who had won the event at the 1919 Inter-Allied Games, and [Duke Kahanamoku], the defending Olympic champion, but The Duke was far the better sprinter. The Olympic record was 1:02.4, set by Kahanamoku in the 1912 semi-finals. He also held the world record, having recorded 1:01.4 in 1918. In the finals, Kahanamoku won easily, with Ross fourth. [William Herald] of Australia filed a protest, claiming that Ross had fouled him. Ross was disqualified and the final re-swum. The finish was exactly the same, except for the absence of Ross. Kahanamoku broke his world record in the first final and equalled the existing mark in the re-swim.

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